| It all began in late 1979 when a group of people began gathering for Bible study on Wednesday evenings at the Dulany Library. Discussions soon turned toward beginning a new congregation and on December 19, plans for Sunday services were made and interim officers for the new church were elected. A constitution committee was appointed and a communion policy was adopted.
The first service of the new, and as yet unnamed, church was held on Sunday, December 23, 1979 at the Senior Citizen Center. Pastor Paul Feiertag led the service; his sermon was entitled "God with Haste! Go with Faith!" Joyce Oestereich was the pianist. The congregation held a Christmas Eve Communion Service at the United Methodist Church following a program" by the children.
In January 1980 members were asked to submit names for the new church and following the worship service on January 13, various names were reviewed and voted on. Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church was the winner. The first congregational meeting was held on January 20 and the proposed Constitution and Bylaws for the new independent Lutheran Church were adopted.
Members were extremely busy the first months of 1980. The constitution was adopted and a name for the church had been chosen, but the worship services were still being held at the Senior Center and Sunday School classes met at Dulany Library. Many items that established congregations take for granted were needed by this fledgling church but area churches of many different denominations offered help with gifts and loans of various items.
The congregation began to look for a permanent home for its place of worship and found it in the former Lincoln School, which it leased and eventually purchased, from the City of Salisbury. After much cleanup work, installation of a new front door and walk ramp and spreading of gravel, the church opened its doors for its first service on Ash Wednesday to observe the beginning of Lent. The altar was borrowed from St. Joseph Catholic Church, chairs from the Salisbury United Methodist Church and the pulpit from the Keytesville United Methodist Church.
A Building Fund was soon established with the first Sunday of March designated as "Building Fund Day." More than $3,000 was collected that day and the building was paid off less than three years later on December 9, 1982. Slowly, the church and building that was to be Peace's home began to take shape.
With the Constitution and Bylaws adopted, a nominating committee was appointed. The first officers were chairman, Wernell Linneman; secretary, Bob Scheiderer; elders, Clarence Eisberg, Jack Meier and Maurice Scheiderer; and treasurer, Bill Colliver. A decorating committee to plan the renovation and decorating of the building was active. Mission offerings were started and an adult inquirers course began. The first baptism at Peace was held on March 30.
The first ten years progressed productively: there were baptisms, confirmations, marriages and, of course, deaths. In 1982, Peace joined the English Synod of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. That same year, Peace Lutheran's Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) Branch #5765 was chartered. It provided fellowship activities, projects to help others in need and informative programs to assist church members live their lives in Christ and is still very active today. Peace Church is known in the community for organizing the first Child Welfare Chicken Dinner and getting many area churches involved in its successful continuation. Peace was also instrumental in beginning the ecumenical community Thanksgiving and Lenten services. That first decade was a busy one. All members strengthened their faith as they experienced the love of Christ, the support of the community and the common goal of being God's people.
Through a merging of three main Lutheran bodies (the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church in America and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches), Peace became a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988.
The following years saw many changes. The leadership of the church went from part-time pastor to three successive interns, parish ministry associates, interim pastors,
a partnership with St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Moberly for three
years, and finally to our present relationship with Rev. Christopher
Beckman.
From its inception,
Peace shared Vacation Bible School with the Salisbury United Methodist and
First Christian Churches through VBS 2000. VBS 2001 was a new
experience for Peace. The members of Peace held VBS at Peace
Lutheran. Visit
The Kids of Peace page for pictures from VBS.
Peace Lutheran started from scratch with nothing but a lot of faith, hope and determination of many individuals who gave of their time, talents and treasures to see that the new church would be successful. Without the help and support of
the community, Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church would not have become a reality.
The congregation held their 20th anniversary celebration on Sunday,
February 27th beginning with a Holy Communion worship service at 3 p.m.
followed by a reception. (Click here to see
pictures from the celebration.)
(Article
written February, 2000. Article revised October 2001.)
|
Our
Pastors |
|
Rev. Paul H.J. Feiertag |
12/79 - 9/90 |
|
Rev. William O. George |
9/90 - 7/94 |
Rev. Mary Rowland
(Intern at time of service.) |
6/91 - 1/92 |
Rev. Jeff Giles
(Intern at time of service) |
8/92 - 8/93 |
Rev. Jon Pedersen
(Intern at time of service.) |
8/93 - 8/94 |
|
Rev. Melvin T. Peterson |
9/94 - 7/95 |
Bill Markgraf, P.M.A. and
Larry Lemke, P.M.A. |
7/95 - 8/96 |
|
Rev. Mary Lou Kator |
9/96 - 3/00 |
Larry Lemke P.M.A.,
Bill Markgraf, P.M.A.,
Marvin Stuenkel, P.M.A., and
Bill Ferretti P.M.A. |
3/00 - 8/01 |
|
Rev. Christopher Z. Beckman |
8/01 - 10/05 |
Larry Lemke P.M.A.,
Bill Markgraf, P.M.A.,
Rev. Robert Klein., and
Bill Ferretti P.M.A. |
10/05 - present |
|
